Test of Renogy 100w Eclipse Suitcase w/Voyager Con

[blacklab]

I just purchased a new Renogy 100W Eclipse Solar Suitcase with the 20A Voyager Controller.

No, we've not purchased our first AS yet (still looking and waiting), but we'll be using a friend's 1993 25' Excella for a couple of weeks in Montana in August.

We will be dry camping, but our goal is to avoid using his generator, but he does not have solar. So, I decided to purchase this 100W Suitcase (yes, I could have gotten more Watts, but I'm not planning to keep this, so didn't want to invest too much in it for this limited use).

Our campsite has good sun exposure, if there's sun, of course.

His trailer has incandescent lights, but does not have ceiling fans, other than the one in the bathroom. Our goal will be to try to keep our power consumption moderate. Depending on the weather, we may, or may not, need a slight bit of heat for a short period in the morning to take the morning chill off.

We tend to be "early to bed, early to rise" so with the longer daylight hours we typically won't be up late into the night using the interior AS lights.

And, we won't be using the TV (I'm not sure it even has one).

I'm not sure what size Inverter is in this AS.

My friend recently installed two new 12v batteries. I don't have any other specs on them.

Ok, so here's the test I just did. It is a bright sunny day here in Portland. Temperature is 85 degrees. I set up the Renogy panels in full sun. I connected it to the 12v battery in my Toyota Highland, initially with everything turned off in the Highlander. The Controller read 6.0A and 12.8 volts.

Then, I turned on everything in the Highlander (with the engine off, of course) to create as much drain as I could: Headlights were on High Beam; radio on; blower fan running at High; all interior lights turned on; and Emergency Flashers On (no, didn't turn on the windshield wipers).

The Controller consistently showed 5.9 to 6.1 amps (mostly right at 6.0), but the voltage steadily declined over a period of about 20 minutes or so to about 11.3 volts.

When I turned off all the load in the Highlander (engine still off), the Controller reported a steady increase in voltage back up to the 12.8 starting point.

What conclusions can be drawn from this test?

1. This Renogy 100W Suitcase consistently put out an average of 6.0 amps under the sun and temperature conditions of the test.

2. This Renogy 100W Suitcase can't keep up with the full load that I put on it during this test. [Note: At least I assume that is the correct conclusion.]

3. Other conclusions from you Solar gurus?

4. Implications for what I should expect using this Renogy 100W Suitcase for its upcoming use with this 1993 25' Excella, and our goal of not having to fire up the generator?

Thanks.

Cheers,

Bryan

[AlinCal]

We dry camp exclusively and our Renogy 100w suitcase keeps our batteries at, or returns them to 100% every day. We don’t bring a generator and if we did it would only give us the opportunity to run the ac or the microwave, neither of which we use camping.
Our 91 trailer has all led lights and we are not night owls so our consumption is mostly refer and water pump usage.

[Al and Missy]

Panel output seems low (6A*12.8V = 76.8W). Did you align the panels (45 degrees from horizontal) so that the sun's rays arrived to the panel perpendicular to its front surface? If not you sustain a significant loss. If you laid them flat on the ground you might see a 30% loss or more at times other than solar noon or if there was haze.


Al

[blacklab]

I should have noted that the align of the Panels was as close to perpendicular to the Sun as I could visually align. I manually adjusted it back and forth and optimized the positioning to see the maximum amps.

And, this was using only the standard 10' cord that comes standard with the Suitcase. I will have a 10' extension (10 AWG) to use, as needed. Thus, I will suffer some loss with that additional run.

Perhaps I should contact Renogy about the output of this Suitcase.

Cheers,

Bryan

[blacklab]

And no, there was no haze. Clear, blue-bird sky.

Cheers,

Bryan

[blacklab]

Ok, here's one of the things I'm not clear on.

It is my understanding that the Controller reports on the Volts remaining in the Battery (i.e. state of charge of the battery), not the voltage being produced by the Solar Panels. Thus, for example, in my report above, the Controller reported lower Voltage as the Battery was being drawn down by the load I put on it via the various loads in the Highlander.

So, if one computes the Wattage being produced by the Solar Panels at those lower Voltage readings at the battery, the Wattage output is quite low, even though the Solar panel was producing 6 amps.

As the Battery recovered after I shut off the Highlander's load, the Voltage in the Battery increased to 12.8 (it may have gone higher if I conducted the test longer, I don't know). So, the Wattage output from the Solar Panel would be calculated as higher, simply because the Voltage of the Battery was being restored.

Thus, if I had conducted the test longer and the reported Voltage of the Battery increased to more than 12.8v, then the calculated "output" of the Solar Panel would be greater.

That doesn't make sense to me. Why is the calculated Wattage output of the Solar Panel a function of its Amp output and the voltage reservoir of the Battery?

Cheers,
Bryan

[blacklab]

Alan,

Thank you for posting your experience with this panel and your trailer. That is encouraging!

Cheers,

Bryan

[waninae39]

if you get the victron MPPT solar controller, they offer free web based and Bluetooth monitoring.

The MPPT controller are available in a variety of sizes from small to VERY large.

many places to buy including amazon

[chugchug]

In my experience, manufacturers rate their panels very aggressively, and you also lose some in the controller. So getting 70% of the rated power of the panel into the battery is very good.

[UnklJoe]

In my personal opinion, your test was not really representative of real world conditions. It seems the load you had on for about 20 minutes was more than the output of the PV setup during that time, and that's about all that can be said about the test--for a duration of 20 minutes.


Incandescent lighting is very inefficient--both AC and DC. If you're not going to be staying up much past dark, or much before sunrise, you won't be using that much electricity for lighting purposes. Probably mostly for the refrigerator, I would imagine.


Now, take the output of the PV setup--even at 70% (I agree that most PV manufacturers rate their setups pretty aggressively) over a full day of charging--even if you don't continually adjust the position and angle of the panel(s). That's a LOT of amperes over the course of a 8- or 9- or 10-hour day, even if you don't have completely clear skies all day.


As AlInCal says, and has been often reported in other threads in this forum, these portable PV chargers do a yeoman's job of returning batteries to full charge after a full day of exposure to the sun. Moderate usage during the day and evening/early morning shouldn't be a problem, even without maximum sun and continual adjustment/movement.


Will you be using an electric coffee pot? An electric hair dryer? An electric slow cooker?


Can you live with battery-powered lantern(s) (AA or C or D cells) for any light you need when the sun is not out? (MANY LED lanterns are pretty darn bright with very low power drain. Some people don't like the color of the light, but throw a traditional dishtowel over the light if you don't like the brightness of the light, or just point it at the ceiling.) You have lots of options for light that don't include using the incandescent lights in the trailer.


It really depends on what you are going to be using that requires electricity whilst camping. And, inverters are not very energy efficient, either. But, with a little thought about what you're going to be using electricity for and some planning the PV setup you have should be just fine for keeping the batteries topped up--unless you are unfortunate enough to have little to no sunshine during the majority of your trip (and none of us hope that happens!). And, if you have a generator for emergency purposes, and aren't ruling that out entirely (using the generator for emergency purposes) then you should be fine.


Enjoy your trip to Big Sky Country!

[Al and Missy]

Solar panels produce their maximum output power at a specific point on the V/I (voltage/current) output curve. Inexpensive controllers (I don't know what yours is) are pulse width modulated regulators. They do not match the output of the panels to the battery efficiently. An MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) charge controller does a much better job, but they are more expensive. If what you are getting meets your needs, fine. If not, an MPPT charge controller may get you some of that missing 25-30%.


Al

[coasttocoast]

I just returned to Atlanta after 37 days on the road getting to and from Canada and spending 21 nights boondocking, 11 nights plugged in and 6 nights in hotels. Before the trip, I replaced the Atkinson controller with an MPPT version, added another panel to the roof for a total of four 100 watt panels, bought a portable 200 watt HardKorr panel, and took along a Goal Zero 3000. I brought a standard charger and a super charger for the Goal Zero and built an aluminum structure to mount the chargers on top of the GZ to keep them in place and dissipate heat. The coach has 2 new Lifelines. I primarily ran the fridge and freezer, and a fan at night, from the GZ and also charged up phones. During the day while driving, I ran both chargers to put energy back into the GZ. I also have 2 BioLite Powerlight Mini’s and a GearAid Arc light that I used at night when not plugged in. I kept the coach light and power usage to a minimum. The rooftop panels did a nice job of keeping the Lieflines topped up and was noticing half an amp to one amp or more input even after the sun went down before it got dark. On some days while boondocking, I would run the portable panel out for some extra juice to the GZ. When the sun came up, I had enough voltage coming in from the roof to run the coach inverter and a standard charger for the GZ all while keeping the house batteries at 100 percent. I am running the fridge and freezer off the GZ. I would see about 70-110 watts going out for refrigeration and about 70 watts coming in from the standard charger based on the panel readout on the GZ. If I also plugged in the portable, I would see as much as 130 watts coming in from the panel with an average of about 170 watts from the portable and the standard charger. On the beginning day of the trip, I pulled into a station for diesel and noticed that when I got under cover, my coach batteries started to dip rapidly. After a few calls, I determined that I have a bad battery separator which did not allow power to the coach while the engine was running. Seeking a work around, I turned on the inverter and both GZ chargers providing enough draw so that the solenoid would click and the coach had power. I could then unplug the fridge/freezer from the GZ and let the 12v take over. Then I could max out the GZ input from the two chargers at around 300 watts. On most days with the sun shining, I had sufficient input to go another night off grid, but it took hours to replenish the GZ. I also had to pay very close attention to what was going on and felt at times like an old switchboard operator plugging and unplugging chargers and monitoring things. The HardKore panel is built like a tank and is more portable than a bigger and heavier aluminum panels, and it fits into the back overhead compartment. I could put it across my windshield and block some heat from getting in the coach, or I could run it out either side or even sit on my rear cargo box. I did have to splice in a GZ cable to the HardKorr supplied wiring to get the correct plug for the GZ. It does appear that GZ uses aluminum wiring in their cables, but I didn’t notice any detriments. The GZ did run my OXX Coffeebox and even my microwave, but these are heavy power draws of 5% or more from the GZ. Most places that I was boon docking, I simply ran the generator for coffee and also let the generator run to get more energy back in to the GZ while I sat and ate breakfast for an hour or more in the morning. Overall, things worked very well as I was able to get to some remote locations that I would otherwise not have been able to. Also, eating dinner at the restaurant, drinking wine, and then walking out to the coach on the water to go to sleep was great. Not having to drive to a campground was definitely a plus. At a few locations, I would stretch out the HardKorr panel at a restaurant in the afternoon and add some energy. I noticed more than one person looking on with interest. Having enough capacity is the way to go. I could have used more battery power and charging supply, but I had enough to reach the next level, that of reaching destinations that I could not have gotten to without the upgrade. I ran up the St. Lawrence through Quebec to Perce, to PEI, all over Nova Scotia, and through a nice chunk of New Brunswick. I saw 2 moose and a black bear, I met interesting people, Michelle fed wharf cats, I found restaurants and bakeries that were as good as food gets, I spent the night on Brier Island at the lighthouse listening to the foghorn, and I only stayed at campgrounds or in hotels when it was too hot or I was in a larger city. If I had a class A, I would go to 1000 watts or more on the roof and maybe 600 plus amp hours of battery supply. As it is, I had enough but could have used more. I figure I saved $1000 by not having to go to campgrounds, and it will take another trip or two to recoup the cost of the upgrade, but then there is the subjective value of finding a places that are far and away. I’m online at www.coasttocoastphoto.com and on Instagram @coasttocoastphotoatl

[GammaDog]

Your initial question was whether the panels were failing to recharge the batteries given the load and what the implications are for your upcoming trip.

The test you did with the Highlander (including the headlights) isn't representative of the load on the Airstream's batteries while dry camping. Depending on the model year and features on your Highlander it may have a 100 amp or even 130 amp alternator to keep up with loads the car can produce. That's AMPs, not WATTs. Your "100 Watt" panels put out a fraction of that, so I don't find it surprising that you lost ground against a substantial percentage of the load the SUV can place on the batteries.

My first question would be "were the panels working at all?" A simple test would be to hook up the panels to a battery bank (your Highlander will do if the Airstream isn't available) with the panels covered from solar exposure or unplugged from the controller. Have no loads aside from vampire loads running on the SUV. Use a multimeter at the battery terminals to see what the resting state voltage of the system is. I'd expect 12.6 +/-0.1 D.C. volts if your battery is healthy. Next, uncover or connect the panels. Measure the voltage again (you might want to wait 5-10 minutes for the controller to decide what it wants to do with the battery charge or measure repeatedly over a period of time if the anticipation is killing you). When my 200w of Renogy panels are in direct sun (I use their Wanderer controller) I see up to 13.something volts. I would expect you to see the same even though you have half as much wattage.

After that, add a few light loads if you want. Maybe open the door to turn on the courtesy lights, turn on the flashers or parking lights... something like that. The relevant comparison would be to load the Highlander the way the Airstream would be loaded. How you calibrate that is the challenge since there are so many differences between the two systems. Using the Airstream itself would be the only truly meaningful test. Since state-of-charge measurements are not accurate while the battery being measured is under load, turn off the loads you added and disconnect or cover the panels and wait a bit before remeasuring the voltage. If the panels are covering the load, you should see something close to the original reading.

Like others above, my experience says that you should be able to keep your batteries charged if you use 12 volt power judiciously and have a sunny day. You've got 10-12 hours of usable, direct sun to put in enough power to replace a few hours of evening lighting and the little 12 volt power that the fridge uses when running on propane. I do it easily with 200 watts of Renogy panels and two batteries. I'm thinking I could do it with one of my two panels which is effectively what you've got. As you indicate, if that fails you've got a generator as backup.

I say, do a simple test so you at least know the panels and controller are working, then go camp!

[batman]

Originally Posted by blacklab

I should have noted that the align of the Panels was as close to perpendicular to the Sun as I could visually align. I manually adjusted it back and forth and optimized the positioning to see the maximum amps.

And, this was using only the standard 10' cord that comes standard with the Suitcase. I will have a 10' extension (10 AWG) to use, as needed. Thus, I will suffer some loss with that additional run.

Perhaps I should contact Renogy about the output of this Suitcase.

Cheers,

Bryan

Hi Brian, Portland is 45.51 degrees Latitude. It is summer, so if my math is correct (lat. x .9) -23.5 = 17.45 degrees of angle for your panels would be optimum. However adjusting the panels by watching the meter is best. I do the same thing with mine.
I got the formula from a solar website. Summer - (Lat x .9) -23.5 , Winter - (Lat x .9) +29 , Spring and Fall are the same (Lat -2.5) There is a quicker less accurate formula Winter (Lat + 15), Summer (Lat -15).
What ever gets you there.

-Dennis